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  pretend dating him to protect him from another girl? Which of those fantastic stories do you think she’d like best?”

  “Whatever,” Colin said. “I see skirts, so I’m leaving.”

  “Colin!” But he had already shut the door with a firm click.

  Lexie hesitated, looking at the scattered hangers and folds or fabric. Was

  this a fancy date? The diner wasn’t exactly a fancy place. So was it more of a jeans

  and T-shirt event? She didn’t want to look like she’d made too much effort, but

  she didn’t want to underdress, either. She tried to remember the time difference

  in China. But her parents had set strict rules about when and for how long she

  could talk to Karina, and their next phone date wasn’t for another week. She’d

  have to find her girly advice elsewhere.

  Her hands shook a little as she picked up the phone and dialed. Sure, Sally

  was probably only doing this date thing because Bree told her to. But she couldn’t

  lie about what she was going to wear. So maybe her advice could be useful, in just

  this one situation.

  “Oh, howdy- doo, Lexie,” Mrs. Kim said with the significant emphasis one

  might use to say, “You are the next president of the United States.” “Hold on, let me get Sally.”

  “Lexie!” Sally cried as she picked up. “I’m so glad you called! I was just

  freaking out because I have no idea what to wear tomorrow.”

  “Really?” Lexie said, her nervousness evaporating. “That’s why I called

  you!”

  “Oh, awesome,” Sally said. “Okay. Describe every single item of clothing

  you own, and then I’ll do the same, and then we’ll pick outfits that will look good

  next to each other but won’t look like they deliberately match, and then we’ll

  panic and pick backup outfits, and then we’ll change them around, and then we’ll

  throw out the whole plan and start over.”

  Lexie laughed. “All right, you asked for it,” she said. “But I own a lot of

  clothes. My mom loves shopping.”

  “You’re lucky,” Sally said. “Mine will never take me. And you guys have

  great malls around here; in my old town there was, like, one, and it was a whole

  hour away. I could spend my life in a mall, couldn’t you?”

  “Um,” Lexie said. “Well...”

  “We’ll go together sometime,” Sally said. “I’ll bet it’s a lot more fun with

  someone who doesn’t always answer the question ‘Does this make me look fat?’

  with ‘Actually, your fat makes you look fat.’ I think Bree got that from a movie, but she thinks it’s so funny.”

  “That is crazy,” Lexie said, feeling a lot braver now that Bree wasn’t there to

  hear her. “Sally, you don’t need to lose weight. You’re way thinner than I am.”

  “Yeah, but you’re cute like that,” Sally said. “You have curves. My extra

  weight just makes me look thicker instead of curvier.”

  “Sally, seriously,” Lexie said. “That is crazy talk.”

  “Well, start with your tops,” Sally said, changing the subject. “Do you have

  anything red?”

  “Sure,” Lexie said, and Sally laughed.

  “I’m kidding, Lexie,” she said. “You wear red, like, every day.”

  “I do?”

  “I’m surprised your bathing suit isn’t red,” Sally said.

  “Maybe if I ever get a second one,” Lexie said. “But I like the one I have.”

  “Doesn’t it get boring wearing the same one every day?” Sally had three

  that she’d been cycling between, two tankinis and a one-piece.

  “No – I mean, I like it,” Lexie said.

  “That’s the important thing,” Sally said. “So, tops. How about green for a

  change?”

  Finally, an hour later, they had decided that Lexie would wear a gray shirt

  and a black skirt with sandals that were comfortable enough to walk a few blocks

  in, while Sally would wear a sky-blue sundress.

  Lexie fell asleep feeling much happier, even though she was still mad at

  Colin for being so unhelpful.

  The next morning, as she was detaching her tennis racket from her bike,

  Jake suddenly grabbed her hand.

  “Are you excited for our date tonight, Lexie?” he said, a little bit too loudly.

  “Shh,” Lexie said, glancing around for Bree. But the only person she saw

  was Riley, strolling across the parking lot a few feet away from them. He gave her

  a wave-salute and headed in through the gates.

  “Is is a secret from Riley, too?” Jake said, still holding on to her hand.

  “No,” she said. “I was just making sure Bree wasn’t around. Ironic, right? I

  mean, we’re going on this date to prove that we’re dating, but we’re keeping it a

  secret from the person we’re proving it to. Who know deception could be so

  complicated?”

  “It is funny,” he said. “So are you? Excited?”

  How was she supposed to answer this? “Are you?” she asked.

  “I asked you first.” He smiled, but there was a small dent about one of his

  eyebrows that he got only when he was worried.

  “Sure I am,” she said. “Don’t worry about it, Jake; we’ll have fun.”

  “It’s just, this is the part where my last three girlfriends...okay, my only

  three girlfriends...usually started to get mad at me,” Jake said. “Like, because I’m

  not calling enough, or complimenting them enough, or giving them enough

  presents, or something.”

  “You don’t have to do any of that,” Lexie said, shaking her head. Lowering

  her voice, she added, “This is just pretend, remember?”

  “I know,” he said, looking down at her hand in his. “But – if it were real,

  would you want me – I mean, whoever your real boyfriend was – to do all that

  stuff?”

  “I don’t know,” Lexie said truthfully. “Not if it’s work. It shouldn’t be hard. I

  wouldn’t want you – I mean, him – to only be complimenting me because I asked

  for it, you know? Or because you think you have to. I mean, I think if someone

  wanted to date me, I’d be happy with whatever they wanted to do to show it.”

  She shrugged.

  “That’s what I figure,” Jake said. They started walking up the path into

  Summerlodge. She wondered if he remembered that he was still holding her

  hand. “Although I guess if it were the right girl, I’d want to do all that stuff. So

  maybe Amy was right about me.”

  “Nuh-uh,” Lexie said loyally. “She didn’t appreciate you.” Not like I would.

  “Oh, look, it’s the lovebirds,” Bree said, popping out from behind the check-

  in booth. She stretched, showing off her perfectly flat, tan stomach between her

  shirt and short skirt. For once, she was wearing a color other than white – a light

  blue fitted shirt. “So what are you guys doing tonight?” she said in her low, silky

  voice. “To celebrate your one-week anniversary? Or did you celebrate it on

  Wednesday, ha-ha?”

  “We have plans,” Jake said.

  “Private plans?” Bree said. “Or maybe we could double-date. Because I was

  thinking of asking that guy Riley out.” Confusingly, she and Jake both glanced at

  Lexie as she said this.

  “Oh, I don’t – “ Lexie started to stammer.

  “Sorry,” Jake said. “Private plans.”

  Bree narrowed her eyes. “Doing what?”
>
  “It’s a surprise for Lexie,” Jake said. Smart, Lexie thought.

  “Hmmm.” Bree sniffed. “All right, you can tell me later, Jake. It can be our

  little secret.” She ran her manicured fingers down his arm and he twitched away.

  Bree tossed back her pale blonde wings of hair and stared at Lexie while

  Jake signed in. Lexie balanced one foot on top of the other sneaker, feeling

  uneasy. Bree’s gaze traveled up and down, examining every inch of Lexie.

  “What’s that?” Bree said suddenly, darting forward and plucking at Lexie’s

  necklace.

  “It’s my necklace,” Lexie said, falling back.

  “You wear it all the time,” Bree said. “Even when it totally doesn’t go with

  your outfit. Like today.” After what Sally had said, Lexie had decided to dig out a

  shirt that wasn’t red. And it was true: The dark purple color of her T-shirt didn’t

  exactly match the glowing ruby red of the beads.

  “It’s – Jake gave it to me,” Lexie mumbled.

  “Awww,” Bree said. “Only a week and already giving her jewelry? What a

  dashing boyfriend you are, Jakey. I hope your girlfriend is good enough for you.

  Kidding!”

  “I gave it to her a while ago,” Jake said. “Back when I was starting to figure

  out I liked her but didn’t know what to do about it yet.”

  Lexie thought she must be turning the same color as the beads. If only that

  were actually true!

  “I have to get to tennis,” she blurted, and took off at a sprint for the courts.

  Jake would have to handle the rest of the morning’s interrogation without her.

  Riley was warming up outside the fence by jogging in place. He had showed

  up on Wednesday in jean shorts that were clearly just jeans he’d cut the legs off

  of, but now he was wearing real shorts.

  “Hey, Lexie,” he said. “Remember how we were talking about Lost

  yesterday?” She vaguely remembered saying something about liking the show,

  but she wouldn’t have called it a whole conversation. He rattled on without

  waiting for her to answer. “Well, they’re having a marathon tonight on TV, and I

  thought maybe we could watch it together, so you can explain it to me and

  maybe I’ll see how good it is. Whatcha think? We could order pizza.”

  “Oh, that sounds like fun, Riley,” Lexie said. “But I’m going out with Jake

  tonight. Sorry.” She was half sorry and half not. She loved watching Lost, but it sounded a bit intimidating, just her and Riley hanging out.

  “Awww,” Riley said. “Sure you doing want to ditch him? This is the only

  night the marathon will be on!”

  “I can’t do that,” Lexie said. “But I can loan you the DVDs of Season One, if

  you want.”

  “I’d rather watch it with you,” Riley said. “What are you doing with Jake

  tonight, anyway?”

  “We’re going to the movies in town,” Lexie said.

  Riley looked like he was going to try again to convince her, but just then

  Sally came up, linked her arm through Lexie’s and tugged her away, whispering

  about plans for that night.

  It wasn’t until later, during lunch, that something occurred to Lexie. Had

  Riley been asking her on a date? TV and pizza wasn’t a typical date...and he knew

  about Jake...but some people would call that a date. It was certainly the first time

  a boy had asked her to do something with just him.

  What would she have said if she weren’t pretend dating Jake? Would she

  want to date Riley? But I don’t like him that way, Lexie thought. Do I? He doesn’t make me all fizzy inside the way Jake does. He makes me nervous...but maybe

  that’s what it’s supposed to feel like, meeting a new guy you like.

  She didn’t want to date anyone but Jake. But if Jake didn’t want to date her

  – and Riley did – maybe she should try it, for the experience. I shouldn’t be the

  only girl in high school who’s never been kissed. The thought of kissing Riley gave her butterflies in her stomach.

  Well, it doesn’t matter, anyway, she told herself firmly. He thinks I’m dating Jake. And now that I’ve turned him down once, I doubt he’ll ask again. She glanced sideways at his shaggy mane of hair and his large hands. On her other side, Jake

  leaned forward to grab a napkin. His arm touched hers, and then stayed there, his

  skin brushing hers, for the rest of lunch.

  Riley kept looking at her and trying to make her laugh. He ever stole a

  couple of her carrot sticks. And every time she looked up, Lexie found Bree glaring

  at her. Bree had been flirting with Riley all week, but he didn’t seem to have

  noticed. She’d even been ignoring Jake in favour of Riley, but all Riley’s attention

  was fixed on Lexie. This surprised her as much as it did Bree. If he spend one day

  at Carlisle High, he’d realize the difference in their social status, and then surely

  he’d lose interest in Lexie immediately.

  She sort of wished he would. She didn’t like the way Bree looked at her –

  as if Lexie had stolen two of Bree’s boys, and now she would have to pay...one way or another.

  She was able to push Riley and Bree out of her mind as she biked home

  with Jake. Their date was only a few hours away! Ever a pretend date was worlds

  more exciting than sitting at home with her parents and Colin for another Friday

  night, especially with her brother’s ongoing weirdness.

  “I’ll be back at six,” Jake said, pausing in the driveway. “With my tuxedo

  pressed and shoes shined.”

  “I should hope so,” Lexie said. “My ball gown wouldn’t go with anything

  else.”

  He grinned and saluted as she wheeled her bike into the garage.

  “Hello?” she called as she went into the house. “Colin?”

  “He’s at the library,” Mrs. Willis said, popping out of the den. “How was

  your day? Is the tennis getting more fun?”

  Lexie shrugged. “Not really. But I think I’m getting better at pool volleyball.”

  She’d actually gotten a couple of serves over the net. Jake had whooped and

  hollered, ad Riley had applauded from the sidelines. Even Sally had given her a

  thumbs-up.

  Lexie’s mother hovered for a minute, as if she were waiting for something

  to happen.

  “Mom?” Lexie said. “Are you okay?”

  “Of course I am,” Mrs. Willis said. “Don’t you want to go upstairs and drop

  off your things?”

  Lexie glanced down at her shoulder bag and tennis racket. “Yeah, okay. I

  thought I’d get a glass of water first.”

  “I’ll get it,” Mrs. Willis said, bolting for the kitchen. “You go upstairs.”

  “Mom, you’re being bizarre!” Lexie called after her. Shaking her head, she

  headed up the stairs and dropped her stuff inside her room.

  Hanging from the hook on the outside of her closet was a dress. It was a

  shimmering burnt orange colour, like autumn leaves, with a V-neck, a dropped

  waist, and thin ribbons of darker red around the waist and the knee-length hem.

  Lexie touched it in awe. The fabric was soft and shiny but not clingy.

  “Do you like it?” her mother asked from the doorway.

  “Wow, Mom,” Lexie said. “I mean – wow.”

  “I hope it fits,” Mrs. Willis said, sitting down on Lexie’s bed.

  “Let’s find out,” Lexie said, slipping it off the hanger. It rustled like a
utumn

  leaves, too, as she slid it on. Her mom came over to help her zip up the back. It fit

  perfectly.

  “How do you do that?” Lexie said, spinning in front of the mirror. “It’s

  amazing.”

  “Well, I just thought you should have something special for your first date,”

  Mrs. Willis said, and then clapped her hands over her mouth. “Oh! I wasn’t going

  to say anything!”

  “That’s okay,” Lexie said. She wanted to tell her mom the truth, but

  wouldn’t her mom be disappointed that she’d gone to so much trouble for a fake

  date?

  “I’ve been hoping you’d tell me about it yourself,” Mrs. Willis said.

  “Well, we’re trying not to make it a big deal,” Lexie said, feeling awkward.

  “I understand,” her mom said, getting up and heading to the door. “I just

  want you to know – I’ve always thought you and Jake would make a perfect

  couple.” She beamed at Lexie as she shut the door behind her.

  Yeah, me too, Lexie thought. Now somebody tell Jake that.

  Chapter 7

  The first thing Lexie did was call Sally to tell her that her outfit had changed,

  which it turned out Sally had been planning as well. Then Lexie showered, blow-

  dried her hair, put on her necklace and her vanilla-scented perfume that she

  almost never wore, painted her toenails dark red, and dressed. At six o’clock, she

  was sitting on the edge of a chair in the den, trying not to wrinkle her dress, even

  though her mother said the fabric was supposed to be wrinkle-proof.

  “I told you that you didn’t have to dress up so much,” Colin said from his

  prone position on the couch. “Jake will think it’s weird.”

  “No, he won’t,” Lexie snapped. Of course, this was what she’d been

  worrying about for the last two hours. But it was too late now.

  The doorbell rang, and she leaped up to answer it before her mother could

  get there.

  It was Sally. She squealed the instant she saw Lexie.

  “Oh my goodness! You look fantastic!”

  “Come in,” Lexie said, blushing. “Jake’s not here yet.”

  “What a hero your boyfriend is,” Sally said. “My loser said he’d meet us

  there. Which means by the way, that he’ll have already bought his ticket, and I’ll

  have to buy my own. Ian’s a little unclear on some of the basic principles of